Tobacco curing stick



Jan. 13, 1948. N. BROUGHTON 2,434,309

TOBACCO CURING STICK Filed April 18, 1946 N. L, BROUGHTON Patented Jan. 13, 1948 UNI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOBACCO CURING STICK Napoleon L. Broughton, Charleston, S. 0.

Application April 18, 1946, Serial No. 663,146

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to a tobacco curing stick, for use in connection with flue cured tobacco or the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character which will save a great deal of hand labor in connection with flue cured tobacco.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character which is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture and may be used by unskilled labor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like pa ts- Figure 1 is a plan view of a tobacco stick embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 44 of Figure 2, and,

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the tobacco stick, viewed from the opposite side of Figure 2.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention the numerals I0 and II designate bars or rods, preferably formed of wood, and formed in any suitable length, depending upon the number of leaves to be supported. Secured to the bars or rods I0 and II are leaf penetrating and holding elements or pins I2, which may be in the form of nails. These nails are driven through the bars Ill and II from the outer sides and project inwardly beyond the same. These nails carried by each bar are arranged in a. longitudinal group, at the central longitudinal axis of the bar. The nails in one longitudinal group are staggered with respect to the nails in the other longitudinal group, and the nails in one longitudinal group engage the inner face of the companion bar, and their pointed ends are slightly embedded therein, as shown at I3.

Yielding devices are employed to detachably connect the bars I0 and II and hold them in the assembled condition. Two of these yielding devices are shown, while any suitable number may be employed. The yielding devices are spaced from each other and from the ends of the bars I0 and II. The bar It! is provided at points near and spaced from its ends with horizontal openings I4 which are preferably cylindrical. These openings are at the central longitudinal axis of the bar It). Each holding device comprises a holding member I5, preferably formed of wire, bent to form a shank IB. This shank comprises two strands of wire which are twisted upon each other, to provide a stiff construction. At the outer end of the shank, the wire is bent to form an eye or loop I]. At the inner end of the shank the wire is bent to form oppositely extending radial tines I8, as shown. The shank extends through the cylindrical opening I4 and is loose and rotatable therein, and also extends through a horizontally elongated rectangular opening or slot I9, formed in the bar I I. When the tines I8 are vertical they project radially beyond the opening or slot I9, but may be withdrawn through the slot I9 when turned to a horizontal position. The tines cannot pass through the openings I4. Surrounding the shank l6,is a stiff compressible coil spring 20, engaging outer and inner washers 2i and 22, carried by the shank.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The bars I0 and I I are separated, and the tobacco leaves T are mounted upon the elements or nails I2, which penetrate butt ends of the leaves. The bars Ill and II are then brought to the opposed assembled position, Figures 1 and 3, and the holding devices I5 are manipulated so that the tines are passed through the openings or slots ID, and then turned for to bring them to the vertical holding or looking position. The springs 20 function to yieldingly press the bars I0 and I I toward each other, the elements or nails I2 engaging the inner faces of the bars I0 and I I, as shown. When assembled, with the tobacco leaves supported thereby, the bars I0 and II are horizontally or otherwise supported in a tobacco curing house, by any suitable means.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A tobacco curing stick, comprising a bar having longitudinally spaced substantially circular transverse openings therein, a companion bar having longitudinally spaced elongated transverse openings therein and arranged in opposed relation to the circular openings, at least one bar having transversely inwardly projecting pins, and holding devices to be passed through the opposed ible coil spring carried by the shank and arranged 0 Number between the loop and the outer face of one bar, the arrangement being such that the shank is permanently carried by one bar and adapted to be turned upon its axis so that the head may. be arranged longitudinally of the elongated opening, the spring pressing the washer against the ad- 4 jacent bar and resisting improper turning of the shank.

NAPOLEON L. BROUGHTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Name Date 912,902 Sharon Feb. 16, 1909 1,322,648 Sullivan Nov. 25, 1919 2,076,726 Kamen Apr. 13, 1937 2,177,215 Hodgkinson Oct. 24, 1939 15 2,356,619 Rossi et a1 Aug. 22, 1944 

